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Monday, November 8, 2010

Schooner Exact: history class never tasted so good

The Schooner Exact was a ship that brought the first English-speaking settlers to the Seattle area on a rainy day late in 1851: the Denny party. The McClungs have named their brewery, down First Avenue in SODO, after this ship. They name their beers after various events in the city's early days. Thus, Regrade Pale Ale refers to the regrading of the hilltops with water to move the mud down to the shore. Seamstress Union Wheat, a summer seasonal, refers to the officially listed occupation of many of the single women who came here to pursue the oldest profession. I like this one: 3-Grid IPA, which "pays homage to the three competing grid systems in downtown Seattle." Here in Bellingham we already have three grid systems smooshing the streets together downtown, and the Port Authority wants to add a fourth as they redevelop the old Georgia-Pacific mill site on the waterfront.
The tasting room drew a nice crowd on a Friday afternoon. My server pointed out a community canvas in one corner and said the staff and regulars were each painting a single square, about 8" X 8", on this work.

The goal is to replicate the logo for Hoppy Holidays, their seasonal winter ale.
I had a glass of their dark pale ale (craft brewing knows no oxymora), called SSCXWC Skidmark, and pronounced it good. Here's a view of the brewery and tasting area from out by the street; it's in an industrial area like most of the SODO breweries.